May Edochie has lost the legal support of DPA Family Law Clinic after the organisation announced it was withdrawing its services due to what it described as a “hostile environment” allegedly created by some of her supporters.
In a strongly worded statement posted on Facebook on Tuesday, the legal group said continued representation of the brand influencer had become ethically and operationally untenable, citing harassment from individuals within a group known as “May Nation.”
“DPA’s services to Queen May have come to an end. The hostile environment fostered by certain individuals within the ‘May Nation’ group has made it untenable for us to continue effective representation,” the statement read in part.
According to the law firm, its staff had been subjected to bullying and trolling not just from the camp of May’s estranged husband, actor Yul Edochie, but also from those who claimed to support May.
“Ethically, pursuing action against those who bullied Queen May becomes profoundly difficult when her own supporters exhibit comparable, if not greater, hostility. Consequently, we had no choice but to withdraw,” it said.
The firm also accused May of not doing enough to curtail the toxicity of her supporters online, describing the situation as a major blow to the morale and safety of its personnel.
“I cannot, in good conscience, continue to deploy our dedicated staff – young men and women – into these cases. They face daily abuse from May’s supporters, having already endured similar attacks from Yul’s supporters. Queen May’s inability to meaningfully influence this increasingly toxic faction among her supporters is incompatible with the level of investment required for our representation,” the statement added.
Despite the withdrawal, the group maintained that it still believed May Edochie was a victim of betrayal and marital abuse and it restated its opposition to forced polygamy. It also reiterated its condemnation of Yul Edochie and his second wife, actress Judy Austin, for their roles in the marital crisis.
“Let there be no misunderstanding: the chain of events leading to the conflict between Yul and Queen May rests squarely on Yul, significantly aided by Judy. Queen May was a victim of marital abuse and betrayal. She deserves justice and societal protection.”
DPA added that it would assist with the transition of May’s legal matters to any new representation she may choose, while pledging to maintain professional cooperation for the sake of her best interests.
“DPA will work cooperatively with Queen May and her team to transition our work to any successor representatives she designates. We wish Queen May victory. She is a remarkable individual.”
The law firm also stated its intention to take legal action against an individual alleged to be the leader of “May Nation,” who is said to operate under the pseudonym “Judy Obasiyul Autism.”
May and Yul Edochie’s marital crisis became public in April 2022 when the actor announced his relationship to Judy Austin and the birth of their son.
The announcement sparked widespread backlash, especially as May revealed she had no prior knowledge of the union. Since then, she has received significant public support and has built a large following on social media, many of whom actively defend her online.
May Edochie is yet to publicly react to the withdrawal.
